Preparations underway for bushfire season

Brisbane City Council will begin its annual hazard reduction burn program today to help lessen the impact of wild fires across the city.

Planned burns will be undertaken at Brisbane Koala Bushlands, McKenzie and Toohey Forest, Nathan in preparation for the upcoming bushfire season. Both planned burn areas are about 22 hectares in size.

Suburbs which may be affected by smoke include McKenzie as well as Nathan, Coopers Plains, Robertson, Salisbury, Moorooka and Tarragindi.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said planned burning on Council land helps maintain the health of forests by greatly reducing the amount of fire fuel, such as dry grass, leaves and deadwood, across the area being burned.

“Council is committed to ensuring Brisbane residents’ safety which is why we invest $2.4 million annually to carry out hazard reduction burns, maintain fire fighting equipment and undertake fire trail maintenance, to prevent, prepare for and respond to bushfires,” he said.

“The planned burn program is highly dependent on weather conditions, which will play a determining role in how many sites will be burnt this year. Once ideal conditions are confirmed, our fire fighting personnel are ready to act.”

Cr Quirk said residents would receive notification of hazard reduction burns in their local area via a letter in their mailbox.

“In addition to mail outs, residents can stay abreast of the latest developments by staying tuned to Brisbane City Council’s social media channels, which will notify residents of burns the day before where possible,” he said.

“Signage will also be placed around reserves when a burn is scheduled to inform passers-by.

“Council’s website also provides safety information, as well as a map of burn locations to provide residents a clear example of the size and scope of planned burns in their local area.”

Cr Quirk said Council were conscious of mitigating risks to local wildlife when planning burns.

“Some areas of the forest are left untouched, which can be used by wildlife as a refuge and help re-establish vegetation in the burnt sections,” he said.

“There is a lot of preparation that takes place before a burn including raking around important habitat trees and identifying the location of significant flora and fauna species.

Residents are also encouraged to prepare for the south east Queensland bushfire season by cutting away overhanging tree branches and cleaning up foliage in and around the garden.
For more information on Council’s hazard reduction burn program, project visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call Council on 07 3403 8888.